Faculty Directory

Yan, Li

Yan, Li

Assistant Research Professor
Fischell Department of Bioengineering
Website(s):

We are offering multiple opportunities for undergraduate researchers in the 2025-2026 academic year. Interested candidates should contact Dr. Li Yan and provide an updated resume along with a brief description of their specific interests related to our research program.

If you are interested in joining our team, we will provide comprehensive training and help you gain valuable research experience in our lab. We welcome applicants from all departments, especially those with experience in RNA sequencing analysis, stem cell culture, biomaterials, PDMS device fabrication, R, Matlab, and Python etc.

 

Our primary research interests lie in the fields of stem cell engineering, genome editing, and quantitative mechanobiology. We employ a diverse array of experimental strategies and techniques, such as human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation, biomaterials, microdevice fabrication, biomolecular and cellular engineering, and computational analysis. Our current research is centered on using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to create brain neurovascular unit model on chips to elucidate the mechanisms that govern cell interactions and responses to mechanical forces in health and neurological diseases.

 


MSCRF grant

Our research is funded by the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund Launch (MSCRFL) Award. We will explore the role of vascular bed stiffness in regulating blood-brain barrier phenotypes in iPSC-derived brain endothelial cells. 

https://www.mscrf.org/awardees

Undergraduate students working with Dr. Li Yan

Evan Newman (Cell Biology and Genetics '25): Evan joined the lab in September 2024. He is currently a postbaccalaureate faculty assistant in the lab. 

Tanvi Savikumar (Cell Biology and Genetics '26): Tanvi joined the lab in September 2024 

Jothika Saravanarajan (Bioengineering '27): Jothika joined the lab in September 2024 

Christine Li (Bioengineering '28): Chrissy joined the lab in September 2024. Her reseach was supported by ASPIRE Award (Summer 2025).

Nidhi Patel (Bioengineering '27): Nidhi worked in the lab from January 2025 to June 2025. Her reseach was supported by ASPIRE Award (Spring 2025)















 

Visit Publications on Google Scholar

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

  1. Yan L*, Gupta U, Wang H, Schrump D，Stroka K*. Substrate stiffness and cellular microenvironment regulate cell and junction mechanics in iPSC-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells. bioRxiv, doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.01.06.698052 (2026) (*Corresponding authors).
  2. Jiang B, Duan L, Li J, Yan L*. Stem cells and extracellular vesicles in aging-related diseases. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 12. 2024 (*Corresponding author)
  3. Yan L*, Dwiggins C, Gupta U, Stroka K*. A rapid-patterning 3D vessel-on-chip for imaging and quantitatively analyzing cell-cell junction phenotypes. Bioengineering. 10:1080. 2023 (*Corresponding authors)
  4. Yan L*, Dwiggins C, Moriarty R, Jung J, Gupta U, Brandon, K, Stroka K*. Matrix stiffness regulates the tight junction phenotypes and local barrier properties in tricellular regions in an iPSC-derived BBB model. Acta Biomater. 167:109-120. 2023 (*Corresponding authors)
  5. Yan L*, Moriarty R, Stroka K*. Recent progress and new challenges in modeling of human pluripotent stem cell-derived blood-brain barrier. Theranostics. 11:10148-10170. 2021 (* Corresponding authors)
  6. Jiang B#, Yan L#, Shamul J, Hakun M, He X*. Stem cell therapy of Myocardial infarction: a promising opportunity in bioengineering. Adv. Ther. 3:1900182. 2020 (# Equal contribution)
  7. Yan L, Niu Y, Jiang B, Wang H, Li E, Yan Y, Sun H, Duan Y, Chang S, Chen G, Ji W*, Xu R*, and Si W*. Intrathecal delivery of human ESC-derived mesenchymal stem cell spheres promotes recovery of a primate multiple sclerosis model. Cell Death Discov. 5:28. 2019
  8. Jiang B#, Yan L#, Wang X, Li E, Murphy K, Vaccaro K, Li Y, and Xu R*. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human pluripotent cells, an unlimited and quality-controllable source, for therapeutic applications. Stem cells. 5:572-581. 2019 (# Equal contribution)
  9. Jiang B#, Fu X#, Yan L#, Li S, Zhao D, Wang X, Duan Y, Yan Y, Li E, Wu K, Inglis B, Ji W*, Xu R*, Si W*. Transplantation of human ESC-derived mesenchymal stem cell spheroids ameliorates spontaneous osteoarthritis in rhesus macaques. Theranostics. 22: 6587-6600. 2019 (# Equal contribution)
  10. Yan L, Jiang B, Li E, Wang X, Ling Q, Zheng D, Park J, Chen X, Cheung E, Du X, Li Y, Cheng G, He E, and Xu R*. Scalable generation of mesenchymal stem cells from human embryonic stem cells in 3D. Int. J. Biol. Sci. 14:1196-1210. 2018
  11. Yan L, Zheng D and Xu R*. Critical role of TNF signaling in mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Front. Immunol. 9: 1658. 2018
  12. Jiang B#, Yan L#, Miao Z, Li E, Wong K, and Xu R*. Spheroidal formation preserves human stem cells for prolonged time under ambient conditions for facile storage and transportation. Biomaterials. 133:275-286. 2017 (# Equal contribution)
  13. Park J#, Yan L#, Stoddard C, Wang X, Yue Z, Crandall L, Robinson T, Chang U, Denton K, Li E, Jiang B, Zhang Z, Martins-Taylor K, Yee S, Si W, Xie T, Yue L*, and Xu R*. Recapitulating and correcting Marfan Syndrome in a cellular model. Int. J. Biol. Sci. 13:588-603. 2017 (# Equal contribution)
  14. Yeung C, Yan Y, Yan L, Duan Y, Huang B, Lu K, Li K, Zhou M, Zhang L, Wu Y, Luo K, Ji W, Xu R. Preclinical safety evaluation and tracing of human mesenchymal stromal cell spheroids following intravenous injection into cynomolgus monkeys. Biomaterials. 289:121759. 2022
  15. Chen Z, Wang J, Kang Y, Yang Q, Gu X, Zhi D, Yan L, Long C, Niu Y. PINK1 gene mutation by pair truncated sgRNA/Cas9-D10A in cynomolgus monkeys. Zool Res. 42:469-477. 2021
  16. Wang X, Jiang B, Sun H, Zheng D, Zhang Z, Yan L, Li E, Wu Y, Xu R*. Noninvasive application of mesenchymal stem cell spheres derived from hESC accelerates wound healing in a CXCL12-CXCR4 axis-dependent manner. Theranostics. 21:6112-6128. 2019
  17. Chu C, Yang Z, Yang J, Yan L, Si C, Kang Y, Chen Z, Chen Y, Ji W, and Niu Y*. Homologous recombination-mediated targeted integration in monkey embryos using TALE nucleases. BMC Biotech. 19:7. 2019
  18. Li E, Zhang Z, Jiang B, Yan L, Park J, and Xu R*. Generation of mesenchymal stem cells from human embryonic stem cells in a complete serum-free condition. Int. J. Biol. Sci. 13:1901-1909. 2018

 

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